Mine car



H. P. Fl-ELD MINE CAR Filed Oct. l, 193] 3 Sheets-Sheet l 3 -MTF v um Dec.y 7, 1937.'-

H. P. FIELD MINE CAR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed oct." 1, 1931'v l 1 Sm. n

H. P. FIELD MINE CAR Dec. 7, 1937.

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Patented Dec. 7, 1937 UNITED STATES,

Zdlli PATENT GFFEE MINE CAR Application October 1,

19 Claims.

This invention relates generally to railway cars and has particular reference to the provision of a mine car of low height and extreme lading capacity.

One object of this invention is the provision of a mine car having a bottom arranged below the car axles and extending from side to side of the car in a substantially uniform horizontal plane.

Another object of this invention is the pro- `vision of a mine car having a body provided with a bottom arranged in a plane below the car axles and extending from side to side of the body; the car also being provided with longitudinally arranged spaced sill members extending from end `to end of the body and through which the car axles extend, the said sill members projecting into the lading zone of the body and being secured to the upper surface of the car bottom.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a new and improved'bottom for mine cars.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a mine car having a substantially rectangular lading body with a substantially flat and level floor portion or bottom extending fromY end to end and from side wall to side wall of the bottom, the level contour Vof the floor being interrupted only at intervals by housings covering wheels which project through the floor and carry axles arranged above the iloor and projecting through longitudinally arranged sill members or supporting elements formed of pressings secured to the bottom or floor portion and projecting, preferably vertically, into the lading zone of the car; the axles having bearing in said sill members whereby the body is supported wholly by the axles through the medium of the sill members.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a mine carincluding spaced axles constituting supports for the body, the latter including a bottom or floorv and having sill mem-- bers extending from end to end of the car within the lading zone of the body and supported by the axles, the sill members serving to support the entire body and havinga cantilever action whereby the end portions of the body are reinforced and stiiened against deformation.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the .following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through one end portion of the car of the present invention.

1931, Serial No. 566,199

Fig. 2 is a side elevation ol' the opposite end portion of the car.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line 3 3, Fig. 5.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end View of the car, and

Fig. 5 is a top plan View of one end portion of the car, certain parts being broken away and other parts being shown in section.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, in which similar characters of reference designate similar parts in the several views, the car of the present invention includes a body indicated generally at A, the several parts thereof being formed preferably of metal; said body being supported by axles 2, supported by wheels 4, the axles extending through longitudinal sill e members 6 comprising body stiffeners which project into the lading zone of the body, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 and which members E extend from end to end of the body, as will be more clearly pointed out hereinafter.

The car of the present invention is designed for rotary dumping and hence is provided with stationary or permanently connected side and end walls, but obviously within the scope of the present invention the car may be designed for end dumping, in which event an end gate of any suitable form may be substituted for one of the iixedY end Walls shown herein. The side and end walls are designated at '8 and I0, respectively, and the side walls are provided along their lower edges with inturned flanges I2 which provide supportsV for the car bottom B. The side edges of the end walls I are flanged as at I3 to overlap the end portions of the side walls and said end Walls and side walls are preferably connected together to form a rigid construction by means of the rivets I or other suitable fasteners.

The end walls I0 lap the webs of channel shaped end sills I6 and extend to the bottom B as shown clearly in Fig. l, the latter projecting beyond the junction with the lower edge of the end wall and underlying the lower flange of the end sill I6. vThe constructions at each end of the car are substantially identical and hence a description of one suffices for both and as shown clearly in Figs. 4 and 5 the end sill extends across the car from side wall yto side wall and is secured in position by oppositely arranged corner angles I8 secured to the sill members 5 and to the end sills and end wall. In addition to the over* lapping flanges I3 of the end walls, the side and end walls are further connected by means of corner angles Il (see Fig. 5).

Referring now to Fig. l, it canbe seen tha the end sill is outwardly faced and supports a bumper filler block 20 having a top plate 22, the rear end portion of which is upwardly flanged as at 24 and connected to the end sill by suitable fasteners such as the rivets 25. A block supporting plate 26 is provided which has its rear end portion arranged between the before mentioned extending portion of the bottom B and the lower flange of the end sill, and said end sill, block supporting plate and bottom are rigidly connected together by suitable fasteners such as the rivets 28. The end construction of the mine car of the present invention also includes a front bumper plate 30, channel shaped as shown in Fig. l, lapping the top and bottom plates 22 and 26 and preferably held in position by means of the bolts 32, see Fig. 5.

The upper flange of the end sill serves as an attaching element for a plate 34 which serves to support a coupling pin 36 having a nut 38. The end wall is stiflened by means of gussets 40 which, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, are secured to the end wall and to the plate 34.

The sill members 6 constitute body stiifeners and supporting elements as will be apparent from this description and they extend from end to end of the car body and project into the lading zone thereof. In the present instance, the sill members 6 are lshown as pressed members, angle shaped, and secured as by rivets 42 to the upper surface of the bottom B; these sill members thereby serving as attaching elements for the bottom, as well as a stiffe'ning and supporting means for the entire body. The sill members 6 are provided with inwardly facing beads 46 along their upper edges which serve to reinforce said members, as will be apparent. The provision of pressed angles constituting the sill members 6 provides a construction of sufficient strength to withstand the usual Yservice conditions and the construction is lighter in weight than a car provided with rolled sections, and hence the entire car is cheaper to manufacture.

As before mentioned, the axles 2 extend through the sills and the bottom B is arranged below the axles, or, to be more exact, the bottom B is arranged in a plane lower than the horizontal plane of the axles. As shown clearly in Fig. 3, the bottom is substantially horizontal from side wall to side wall and it intersects a plane through the lower portions ofthe wheels 4. As a matter of fact, the plane of the bottom B intersects the wheels 4 below their hubs. The axles extend through bearings Y48 secured to the outer surfaces of the webs of the sill members 6 by means of suitable fasteners 5l), lthe fasteners 50 also passing through flanges 52 of floor sheets or portions 54 of the bottom B, said portions 54 including axle housings, as presently to be described.

The bottom B forms a central floor portion intermediate the sill members 6, and side floor portions on each side of the central floor portion, and said bottom is formed of a plurality of spaced metal sheets 56 arranged below the sill 'meinbers 6 and secured to the flanges 58 thereof (see Fig. 3), said sheets 56 extending from side wall to side wall vin a substantially uniform horizontal plane.

The axles, as before mentioned, extend through the sill members 6 within the lading zone of the body and are covered by housings 6!! forming parts of the before mentioned floor sheets 54 which latter extend between and are connected to ad? jacent floor sheets 56. The sheets 54 are in substantially the saine horizontal plane as the oor sheets 56 and extend only between the side sills and the housing portions 58 thereof have the before mentioned flanges 52 formed therewith.

Due to the fact that the floor sheets 54 extend only between `the sill members 6, openings are provided in the said floor portions between floor sheets 56 through which the wheels 4 project (see Fig. 3), and the sheets 56 at the said side floor portions of the bottom, are connected by wheel housings 56, riveted or otherwise suitably secured to the said sheets 56 and connected to the side walls as at 68; the wheel housings each having a front wall ID which laps the adjacent sill member 6 and is secured thereto in any suitable manner thereby supporting the side walls from the sills 6 through said housings. For stiffening the wheel housings 56 gussets 'I2 are provided whichv are connected to the side walls and to the wheel housings by suitable fasteners such as the rivets shown in Fig. 3.

From the above description it is believed that the construction of the car of the present invention will be fully apparent to those skilled in the art. The car provides for extreme lading capacity due to the arrangement of the bottom B relative to the sill members 6. The sill niembers 6 are pressings and hence lighter in weight than rolled sections, but they furnish suflicient strength to withstand service conditions. It will also be apparent that the instant invention cornprises a mine car having spaced transversely arranged supporting elements in the form of axles which carry the load, and spaced pairs of oppositely extending cantilevers in the form of sills supported by the axles between the wheels, said cantilevers or sills projecting into the lading zone of the car body above, though not necessarily wholly above,V the car bottom or oo'r to which said cantilevers are secured throughout their length, and serving as the primary supporting means for the body. The floor or car b'ottom is in a substantially uniform horizontal plane from end to end of the body and is in a plane which intersects the lower portion of the wheels. Thus there has been provided a car having a body of maximum capacity, the end members of which are directly supported by the cantilever end portions of the spaced supporting sills, the latter being spaced inwardly from the side walls in contra-distinction to the construction shown in patent to Willoughby, 1,774,344 of August 26, 1930, in which the sills l, from end sill to end sill, serve as a lading retaining means or, in elfect, lower portions of the side walls of the car.

The drawings herein illustrate one embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood they are for illustrative purposes only, as various changes in the form and proportions of the construction shown may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a mine car a body comprising side walls, end walls and a bottom formed of a plurality of parts connected together on lines which are transverse to the body, at least some of said parts extending from side wall to side wall in a substantially uniform horizontal plane, and sills secured to the bottom in spaced relation with respect to the side walls and extending longitudinally of the bottom from end toV end, the remaining parts of said bottom extending only between the sills.

2. In a mine car a body comprising side walls, end walls and a bottom formed of a plurality of the sheets being arranged in substantially a uni.

parts connected together on lines which are transverse of the body, atleast some of said parts extending from side wall to side wall and theV major portions of all of said .parts being arranged inA substantially a uniform horizontal plane, and sills secured to the bottom in spaced relation with respect to the side walls andextending longitudinally of the body from end to end, said sills dividing the bottom into central and, side floor portions.

3. In a mine car, a body portion comprising a bottom formedrof a plurality of sheet metal plates arranged and connected end to-end, certain of said plates having portions thereof formed to define axle housings and the remaining portions of all of said plates being arranged in a substantially uniform horizontal plane, and a pair ofk pressed metal angles substantially co-extensive with and secured to the upper surfaces of the horizontal plane portions of the bottom.

4. In a mine car, a body comprising side and end walls, a plurality of metal sheets arranged end to end in a uniform horizontal plane to provide a lading supporting bottom, certain of saidV sheets extending from side wall to side wall, the

remainder of the sheets being of less width than said first-named sheets and having axle housings formed therein, and pressed angles connected to all of said sheets and extending from end to end of the body, said angles projecting into the lading zone of the body, the sheets of less width extending only between the angles.

5. In a mine car, a body includingA side and end walls. saidy side walls having inturned flanges at their lower portions, a sheet metal bottom extending between the side walls and supported by the inturned flanges, said bottom having portions formed to present downwardly opening axle housings of substantially inverted U-shape and the remainder of the bottom being arranged in substantially a uniform horizontalr plane, spaced pressed metal angle shaped side sills secured to the bottom, and axles extending through the sills and covered by the axle housings.

6. In a mine car, side sills, side and end walls and a bottom, the latter comprising a plurality of metal sheets arranged end to end in a uniform horizontal plane, alternate sheets extending only between the side sills and having inverted U- shaped recessed portions formed therein defining downwardly opening axle housings.

'7. A lading supporting bottom for railway cars comprising a plurality of metal sheets arranged end to end in a substantially uniform horizontal plane, said sheets having their adjacent edge portions connected, certain of said sheets being of less width than the remaining sheets and having inverted U-shaped axle housings formed therein at a zone remote a substantial distance from the end portions thereof in such a manner that the side walls of said housings are arranged closely adjacent the axles.

8. In a mine car, a body having side and end walls, sills intermediate the side walls and projecting into the lading zone of the body, and a bottom extending across the body from side wall to side wall, said bottom including a central floor portion and wheel recessed side oor portions on each side thereof and formed of a plurality of straight metal sheets connected to the under surfaces of the sills and connected together end to end, certain of the sheets having integral housing rportions formed therein at a zone remote from the end portions and arranged over the axles and connected to the sills, the remaining portions of form horizontal plane.

9. In a mine car, longitudinal sills, axles above the bottom portions of the sills, and a plurality of metal sheets arranged end to end and secured to the lower portions of the sills, certain of said sheets having inverted U-shaped housing portions formed therein at a zone remote from the end portions thereof and arranged over the axles and secured to the sills, the remaining portions of all of said sheets being arranged in substantially a uniform horizontal plane.

10. In a mine car, a body portion having a bottom comprising parts connected end to end, certain of said parts extending from side to side of the body in a uniform horizontal plane, and a pair of spaced pressed metal angles extending longitudinally of the body and mounted on and secured to the upper surface of all of said parts, said angles projecting into the lading zone of the body, and dividing the bottom into central and side floor portions. 1

tially U-shaped axle housings, wheels projecting above the plane of the bottom, axles arranged in the axle housings, and hoods covering the wheels secured to said side floor portions and sills.

12. In a mine car, a body comprising side sills, a bottom formed of a plurality of parts arranged end to end in lapping relation to provide a central floor portion between the side sills and side iioor portions outside the side sills, the parts at the end portion of the body extending from side to side thereof and the iloor portion intermediate said end parts extending between said side sills and having downwardly opening axle housings formed therein, wheels projecting above the plane of the bottom, axles arranged in the housings, and hoods covering the wheels and secured to the side floor portions and side sills.

13. In a mine car, a body comprising side and end walls and a bottom, the latter formed of a plurality of metal plates arranged and connected in end to end relation, certain of said plates extending transversely of. the body from sidewall to side wall and other plates having portions thereof formed to provide axle housings, said metal plates being arranged in a substantially uniform horizontal plane, and sill members resting upon and secured to each of the plates in spaced relation with respect to the side walls.

14. A lading supporting bottom for mine cars comprising a plurality of metal sheets connected together and arranged in substantially a uniform horizontal plane, certain of said sheets being of less width than the remaining sheets and having portions formed to provide downwardly opening axle housings substantially midway between the end portions of the sheets, the side walls of said housings being arranged in substantially parallel relation.

15. In a mine car, a body comprising end walls, side walls of uniform height from end wall to end wall, and a bottom, the latter comprising metal plates connected together on linestransverse the body and certain of said plates extending from side wall to side wall in a uniform horizontal plane and others having downwardly opening inverted U-shaped axle housings formed therein,

and sill members mounted on eah'f the plates of the bottom and projecting into the lading o'ne of the body.

16. In a mine car, side sills, axles arranged in a plane above the lower portions of the side sills and a lading supporting bottom comprising a plurality of metal sheets connected together and arranged in substantially a uniform horizontal plane, certain of said sheets being of less width than the remaining sheets and having portions formed to provide downwardly *opening axle housings at a zone remote from the end edges thereof, the side walls of said housings being arranged in substantially parallel relation and closely adjacent the axles.

17. A low bottom car including upright side walls, center and end bottom metal plates having substantially straight adjacent transverse edges which extend substantially parallel to one another from side to side of the car and are spaced apart for the reception of car wheels, spaced metal longitudinal side sills extending from end to end of the car between the wheels, axles and wheels located at the gaps between the bottom plates with the axes of said wheels above said edges, independent wheel covers connected to the bottom plates and extending across the gaps between said bottom plates and over said wheels, and pieces including arched portions passing over the a-xles and connected to the bottom plates and side sills. for closing the bottom between the plates and wheel covers.

18. A low bottom car including a metal bottom and side walls in rigid relationship thereto;

longitudinal sills in 'seuied elatibnslii'p to said bottom and located thereabove; said sil-1s being spaced apart throughout their lengths; axles for supporting the sills and having journals located above 'said bottom; an end structure including an end lading-retaining wall portion connected to the ends of the sills and to the bottom, and bumper and coupling means fixed tothe said end wall portion and located above the bottom; wheels on said axles, said bottom having holes for receiving said wheels, wheel covers extending over said wheels between the side Walls and the sills and secured to said side walls, bottom and sills whereby to provide a transverse support for lateral portions of the bottom between the ends of the car and to close the holes between the sidewalls and the sills, and pieces including arched portions located between said longitudinal sills for receiving the axles and connected to said bottom and sills whereby to 'close said holes between the sills and operate with said transverse support for stiffening the car.

19. In a mine car, side sills, axles arranged in a plane above the lower portions of the side sills, and a lading supporting bottom comprising a plurality of metal sheets secured to the side sills and connected together end to end, said sheets being arranged lin substantially a uniform horizontal plane and certain of said sheets extending laterally of the car beyond the side sills and the remainder of the sheets being of less width than the rst named sheets and having downwardly open axle housings formed therein;

HENRY P. FIELD. 

